Alternately Titled: It’s a Small World After All
On Monday my girls set up a lemonade stand. They have been asking to do a lemonade stand since, basically, the Reagan Administration…and Monday, finally, was the big day.
(They made $7.00 and declared it a huge success.)
Felicity came in at one point and said, “Mom? There’s a car out there whose lights are flashing. I think they might even be beeping at me.”
I stuck my head out the door and sure enough, there was a car parked at the intersection. The hazard lights were blinking and—was that shouting that I heard? Feeling an awkward sense of duty, I walked hesitantly toward the car and saw a woman sitting at the wheel with—was that a little boy in her lap? There was another person in the front passenger seat—a very active person—and when I got close enough to make eye contact, I smiled and gave her an uncertain “thumb’s up.”
Are you okay?! is what I was asking.
She smiled and gave me a thumb’s up back, then leaned her head out the window and called, “We ran out of gas!”
Instant Sister-of-the-Heart! I’ve been so close to being there, more times than I really care to remember.
When I got to the car I saw all kinds of kids—twenty, at least, maybe more. Okay, actually there were five, but now I know how I look to other people. “Hey guys!” I said, and there was a chorus of hellos. “What an adventure, huh?”
The woman told me that she had phoned her husband and he was on his way. “Would you like to come over and wait at my house?” I offered. “You can have a glass of lemonade.”
As we walked, she told me that she was dropping off a little girl from her carpool when they had run out of gas. Noting that her kids were in very Catholic-school-looking uniforms, I asked what school they went to. “Well, we were at ‘this’ school,” she said, “but then it closed. Now we go to ‘this’ school.”
“No way!” I told her. “We know lots of the same people, I’m sure.”
“Probably,” she laughed. “Who do you know?”
“So & So is a friend of mine. Have you met her?”
The young woman stopped walking and turned to me. “Are you kidding?” she asked incredulously. “That’s my sister.”
We had a very nice visit on the lawn—this new friendsister-of-a-friend and I—while her children sipped the lemonade my girls were hawking. (Their mom insisted on paying. She had lots of quarters.) I thought about how you just never knew who you might be helping and that everybody is someone’s sister—and if not someone’s sister, then someone’s child.
Eventually her husband arrived, we said goodbye, and I loaded up my own crew into the van to get Jem.
Glancing down, I saw that the gas gauge read “empty.”
I am almost always running on empty. But almost always have time to hand out lemonade.
My boys kind of freak out when the gas light goes on…I always assure them that even though the gauge says 0 miles left, that we actually have a reserve of 3 gallons. Hoping if I ever run out that I land in front of your house! 😉
Well, I come from the other side of the block…
I never let my gas gauge get below HALF, for two reasons:
1) Who can afford to fill the tank at these prices without major heart palpitations?! and
2) We live way out in the country. In fact, 25 miles from the nearest gas station… need I say more? 😉
But I have been known to stop and buy lemonade!
Now don't go trying to meet new sisters, you got plenty online!
I can't count the times the angels have driven me to a gas station!!
What a neat story!!
What a great story!
I am afraid that waiting til we are almost out of gas has led to clogged fuel injectors this week. Am thinking I may need to change this habit of mine.
I have stormed heaven many times in hopes that I make it to the pump on fumes.
I ran out of gas when I was in college and an older gentleman/grandpa helped me. I will never forget him.
Great story!
Call me weird, but when my tank reads 1/4, I'm at the petrol station to fill it up. I have the weirdest fear of running out of petrol – I do not give the light a chance to turn on.
Your story is sweet!
What a wonderful story! Such a happy story. You've made me smile this morning.
Last line was my favorite :-).
You have the best adventures. 🙂
What a great story!!!! Constantly on empty over here too! "Don't worry kids, you know when DTE says 0 it doesn't really mean 0."
Loved this, Margaret! It's such a Jeff Cavins-esque story! When we're open to whomever the Lord places in our path, we are blessed with more than we ever expected!
I'm sure I know who you met that day, too! I'm like 95% sure. But I am 100% certain that it is one of only a handful of people 😉
Thanks again for the email, too, and the encouragement! Today was a much better day; thank God!